The European Union (EU) is soon to announce an offer to by-pass the Hamas government in
After the Hamas’ victory in the parliamentary elections last January, the European Union, a main donor to the Palestinian people, stopped sending aid to
In addition to the embargo, the EU also halted the transfer of customs tax which is holding some $150 million of Palestinian tax dollars.
The EU Foreign Affairs Commissioner’s Spokeswoman Emma Udwin said a new and detailed plan is expected to be presented, possibly before the end of the week. The scope of how the money will be channeled to Palestine is also being discussed, Udwin added.
The EU wants the assistance to be spent for school, hospitals and other basic needs, while the Palestinian authorities want to use the money to pay the salaries of civil servants who have been unpaid for three months so far.
EU is the biggest aid provider for the Palestinians, transferring around €500 million annually.
